Monday morning blues: 10 things that cheer us up

Monday mornings fill many of us with dread, and a new study has pinpointed 11.17am on Monday as the time of the week we feel most unhappy.

In fact we’re not a nation of morning people in general, with less than a quarter of us (23%) saying we feel happiest before midday.

We’re at our best in the afternoon, with 2.35pm chosen on average as the time we feel happiest.

The good news is that nearly half of us (47%) say taking the time to do a good deed for someone else makes us happy, though only a quarter (27%) of us say we try and make sure others have a good day.

And it seems politeness goes a long way as we’re most annoyed by people not saying “thank you” (72%), pushing in front of a queue (75%) or not allowing others to get off the train before boarding (43%), according to the

research by Plusnet.

The top 10 small things that will improve your day

1. Doing a good deed for somebody (47%)

2. Random acts of kindness from strangers (44%)

3. Stumbling across a bargain (42%)

4. Spontaneous hug (40%)

5. A compliment from a stranger (39%)

6. A car stopping so you can cross the road (36%)

7. Being greeted by a pet (35%)

8. Getting a hand written letter in the post (31%)

9. Your favourite song coming on the radio (31%)

10. A stranger saying hello (30%)

Of those surveyed, specific examples of things that had brightened up their day included:

• “When the shop assistant lets me take a whole trolley to the 10 items or less checkout.”

• “I was lost in Scotland and driving around and around a roundabout. A car flashed me to pull over, asked if I was lost, and drove about three miles out of their way to show me the correct route.”

• “I realised I’d forgotten my purse when I got to the checkout and a stranger paid for my shopping.”

• “I left a very important diary in a hospital with no address or name inside. I phoned the hospital when I realised my loss and a nurse spent her own money anonymously and sent it back to me.”

• “I was just popping into a café and a kind old lady offered me a card with a free coffee on it.”